In last week’s Monitor, Stu Goodner offered a letter to the editor titled, “Protection of religion bill.”
I read it with great interest. Like Stu, I am also concerned with Senator Edith “Edie” McClafferty’s opposition to two bills that offer similar protections.
I wrote to her via the Leg.mt.gov website asking her to please clarify the statements that Stu referred to. This is the reply I received from the Senator:
“Good morning,
I do not support either bill. Both are very bad bills.
Thank you for your email.
Edie”
I have written back to her asking again for help in understanding how she supports protections for unions while refusing protections for religious organizations.
I hope that perhaps she will explain it in the Monitor, if given the opportunity.
— Susanne Shultz, Boulder
McClafferty’s response
The following is Sen. McClafferty’s reply to Shultz’s request for further explanation:
Please let me know if this answers your questions.
We have a strong First Amendment right to religious freedom that is protected in our state and federal constitutions.
I support those protections and believe these rights are important to the well-being of our state. However, SB 215 attempts to go beyond these protections and make it so someone can use their religion to deny Montanans services and the freedoms we all share.
We have a right to express our religion without persecution but that does not give us a right to discriminate against our neighbors based upon our religious views.
Our First Amendment right also includes the rights of workers and unions to organize for workplace protections, better wages and to provide a good life for their families.
I do not support any legislation that singles out a specific group of people to discriminate against them or take away their constitutional rights and freedoms.
— Sen. Edith “Edie” McClafferty, Senate District 38
